The Orthodox faith teaches Christians how to confess correctly. This rite is connected with ancient events, when the Apostle Peter left the bishop's house and went into seclusion after he realized his sin before Christ. He denied the Lord and repented for it.
So each of us needs to realize our sins before the Lord and be able to present them to the priest in order to sincerely repent and receive forgiveness.
To learn how to confess correctly in church, it is necessary to prepare the soul and body, and we'll tell you how to do it later.
Before going to church try to understand a few important points for yourself. Especially if you decide to confess for the first time. So, what questions most often arise in a person on the eve of confession?
When can you confess?
Confession means a sincere conversation with God through the mediation of a priest. According to church canons, they are attracted to confession from childhood, from the age of seven. Believers confess after the main service, near the lectern. People who decide to be baptized or get married also start confession before God.
How often should you go to confession?
It depends on the true desire of the person and his personal willingness to speak openly about his sins. When a Christian came to confession for the first time, this does not mean that after that he became sinless. We all sin every day. Therefore, the awareness of their actions lies with us. Someone confesses every month, someone before big holidays, and someone during Orthodox fasts and before their birthday. Here the main understanding is why I need it what a positive lesson this can teach me in the future.
How to confess, what to say?
Here it is important to address the priest sincerely, without false shame. What does this statement mean? A person who has decided to sincerely repent must not only list what sins he has committed in recent times, and even more so, immediately seek an excuse for them.
Remember, you did not come to church to hide your bad deeds, but to to receive the blessing of the holy father and start a new, spiritual life.
If you have long wanted to confess what to say to the priest, you can calmly think over at home in advance. Better yet, write it down on paper. Put the "10 Commandments" in front of you, remember the 7 deadly sins.
Don't forget that anger, adultery, pride, envy, gluttony are also on this list. This also includes visiting fortune-tellers and clairvoyants, watching inappropriate content on television.
How should you dress for confession?
The attire should be simple, meeting all the laws of Christianity. For women - a closed blouse, skirt or dress no higher than the knee, a scarf is required on the head. For men - trousers, shirt. Be sure to remove your headgear.
Can I confess at home?
Of course, God hears our prayers everywhere and, as a rule, forgives us in case of true repentance. However in the church we can receive that very grace-filled power to help us fight temptations in later situations. We are embarking on the path of our spiritual rebirth. And this happens precisely during the Sacrament called confession.
How to confess for the first time?
The first confession, as well as all subsequent times when you decide to confess in church, requires some preparation.
First, you need to mentally. It will be right if you spend some time alone with yourself, turn to the Lord with a prayer. It is also recommended to fast on the eve of confession. Confession is like a medicine that heals both the body and the soul. A person is spiritually reborn, comes to the Lord through forgiveness. You can proceed to confession without communion, but your faith in the Lord must be unshakable.
Secondly, it is best to agree on the Sacrament of Confession in advance. On the appointed day, come to the temple for Divine Service, and at the end of it go to the lectern, where confession usually takes place.
- Let the priest know that you will be confessing for the first time.
- The priest will read the opening prayers, which serve as some preparation for the personal repentance of each of those present (there may be several).
- Then everyone comes to the lectern, where the icon or crucifix is located, and bows to the ground.
- This is followed by a personal conversation between the priest and the confessor.
- When it's your turn, talk about your sins with sincere repentance, without going into unnecessary details and details.
- You can write down on a piece of paper what you would like to say.
- Do not be afraid and do not be embarrassed - Confession was given in order to gain God's grace, to repent for what you have done and never repeat it again.
- At the end of the conversation, the confessor kneels, and the priest covers his head with epitrachelion - a special cloth and reads a permissive prayer.
- After this, it is necessary to kiss the Holy Cross and the Gospel as a sign of love for the Lord.
How to take communion in church?
It is also very important for a modern person to know how to take communion in church, since the Sacrament of Communion to the Holy Chalice unites a Christian with God and strengthens true faith in Him. Communion was instituted by the Son of God himself. The Bible says that Jesus Christ blessed and divided the bread among His disciples. The apostles accepted the bread as the body of the Lord. Then Jesus divided the wine among the apostles, and they drank it as the blood of the Lord, shed for the sins of mankind.
Going to church on the eve of a big holiday or before your name day, you need to know how to confess and take communion correctly. This spiritual sacrament plays the same important role in a person's life as a wedding or baptism ceremony. Communion without confession is not supposed because their relationship is very strong. Repentance or confession cleanses the conscience, makes our soul bright before the eyes of the Lord. That's why communion follows confession.
During confession, it is necessary to sincerely repent and make decisions to start a humble, pious life in accordance with all Christian laws and rules. Communion, in turn, sends God's Grace to a person, enlivens his soul, strengthens faith and heals the body.
How to prepare for the sacrament of the sacrament?
- Before communion it is necessary to pray diligently, read spiritual literature and keep a three-day fast.
- The night before, it is recommended to visit the evening service, here you can also confess.
- On the day of communion, you must come to the morning Liturgy.
- After singing the prayer "Our Father", the Holy Chalice is brought to the altar.
- Children come first, then adults.
- It is necessary to approach the Chalice very carefully, crossing your arms over your chest (right over left).
- Then the believer pronounces his Orthodox name and reverently accepts the Holy Gifts - he drinks water or wine from the Chalice.
- After that, the bottom of the Cup should be kissed.
Living in a modern society, every Orthodox person who wants to cleanse his soul and draw closer to the Lord should confess and take communion from time to time.
How important is this rite of Christianity? How to prepare for it? And how often can you take communion? You will learn the answers to these questions and many others from this article.
What is communion?
The Eucharist is communion, in other words, the most important rite of Christianity, thanks to which bread and wine are consecrated and served as the Body and Blood of the Lord. Through communion, the Orthodox are united with God. The need for this Sacrament in the life of a believer can hardly be overestimated. It occupies the most important, if not central, place in the Church. In this Sacrament, everything is completed and concluded: prayers, church hymns, rituals, prostrations, the preaching of the Word of God.
Background of the Sacrament
If we turn to prehistory, then the sacrament of the sacrament was established by Jesus at the Last Supper before death on the cross. He, having gathered with his disciples, blessed the bread and, having broken it, distributed it to the apostles with the words that it was His Body. After that, he took a cup of wine and served it to them, saying that it was His Blood. The Savior commanded the disciples to always celebrate the sacrament of communion in remembrance of Him. And the Orthodox Church follows the commandments of the Lord. At the central divine service of the Liturgy, the Sacrament of Holy Communion is performed daily.
The Church knows a story that confirms the importance of communion. In one of the deserts of Egypt, in the ancient city of Diolke, many monks lived. Presbyter Ammon, who stood out among all for his outstanding holiness, during one of the divine services saw an angel who was writing something near the sacrificial cup. As it turned out, the angel wrote down the names of the monks present at the service, and crossed out the names of those who were absent from the Eucharist. Three days later, all those who were crossed out by the angel died. Is this story really true? Perhaps many people die prematurely precisely because of their unwillingness to take communion? After all, he even said that many people are sick, weak because of unworthy communion.
The need for Holy Communion
Communion is a necessary rite for the believer. The Christian who neglects the Eucharist voluntarily turns away from Jesus. And thus deprives himself of the possibility of eternal life. On the contrary, he who communes regularly is united with God, strengthened in faith, and becomes a partaker of eternal life. From this we can conclude that for a churched person, communion is undoubtedly an important event in life.
Sometimes, after accepting the Holy Mysteries of Christ, even serious illnesses recede, willpower increases, and the spirit strengthens. It becomes easier for the believer to struggle with his passions. But it is worth retreating from the sacrament for a long time, as in life everything starts to go awry. Ailments return, the soul begins to be tormented by what seemed to be receded passions, irritability appears. And this is not a complete list. It follows from this that a believer, a church-goer, tries to receive communion at least once a month.
Preparing for Holy Communion
One should properly prepare for the Sacrament of Holy Communion, namely:
Prayer. Before communion, it is necessary to pray more and more diligently. Do not miss a few days By the way, a rule is added to it for Holy Communion. There is also a pious tradition to read the repentant to the Lord, the canon of prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos, the canon to the Guardian Angel. On the eve of Communion, attend the evening service.
Post. It must be not only carnal, but also spiritual. It is necessary to reconcile with everyone with whom they were in litter, pray more, read the Word of God, refrain from watching entertainment programs and listening to secular music. Spouses need to give up bodily caresses. Strict fasting begins on the eve of Communion, from 12 o'clock in the morning you can neither eat nor drink. However, the confessor (priest) can establish an additional fast of 3-7 days. Such a fast is usually prescribed for beginners and those who did not observe one-day and multi-day fasts.
Confession. You must confess your sins to a priest.
Repentance (confession)
Confession and Communion play an important role in the celebration of the Sacrament. Communion is the recognition of one's absolute sinfulness. You should understand your sin and sincerely repent of it with a firm conviction never to commit it again. The believer must realize that sin is incompatible with Christ. By committing a sin, a person, as it were, tells Jesus that His death was in vain. Of course, this is possible only through faith. Because it is faith in a Holy God that illuminates the dark spots of sins. Before repentance, one should reconcile with the offenders and the offended, read the canon of repentance to the Lord, pray harder, if necessary, then take a fast. For your own convenience, it is better to write down sins on paper so that you do not forget anything during confession. Especially serious sins that torment the conscience should be told to the priest especially. The believer also needs to remember that when revealing his sins to a clergyman, he, first of all, reveals them to God, since God is invisibly present at confession. Therefore, in no case should you hide any sins. Batiushka sacredly keeps the secret of confession. In general, both confession and communion are separate sacraments. However, they are closely related, since, without receiving the remission of their sins, a Christian cannot proceed to the Holy Chalice.
There are times when a seriously ill person sincerely repents of his sins, makes a promise to go to church regularly, if only healing occurs. The clergyman forgives sins, allows you to take communion. The Lord provides healing. But the man subsequently does not fulfill his promise. Why is this happening? Perhaps the human weakness of the soul does not allow one to overcome oneself, through one's pride. After all, lying on your deathbed, you can promise anything. But in no case should we forget about the promises made to the Lord himself.
Communion. Rules
In the Russian Orthodox Church, there are rules that should be followed before approaching the Holy Chalice. First, you need to come to the temple to the beginning of the service, without being late. An earthly bow is made before the Chalice. If there are many who want to take communion, then you can bow in advance. When the gates open, you should overshadow yourself with the sign of the cross: put your hands on your chest with a cross, the right one on top of the left. Thus, take communion, depart without removing your hands. Approach from the right side, and leave the left free. The servants of the altar should be the first to take communion, then the monks, after them the children, then everyone else. It is necessary to observe courtesy with each other, let the elderly and infirm people go forward. Women are not allowed to take communion with painted lips. The head must be covered with a scarf. Not a hat, a bandage, but a scarf. In general, dressing in the temple of God should always be decorous, not defiant and not vulgar, so as not to attract attention and not distract other believers.
Approaching the Chalice, you must say your name loudly and clearly, accept, chew and immediately swallow the Holy Gifts. Attach to the lower edge of the Cup. It is forbidden to touch the Chalice. It is also not allowed to make the sign of the cross near the Chalice. At the drinking table, you need to eat antidor and drink warmth. Only then can you talk and kiss the icons. You can't take communion twice a day.
Communion of the sick
At the First, it was determined that a seriously ill person should not be deprived of communion. If a person is not able to take communion in the church, this is easily solved, because the church allows the sick to receive communion at home.
The priest is ready to come to the sick at any time, except for the time from the Cherubic Hymn to the end of the Liturgy. At any other divine service, the priest is obliged to stop the service for the sake of the afflicted and hasten to him. In the church at this time, psalms are read for the edification of believers.
Patients are allowed to receive the Holy Mysteries without any preparation, prayer, or fasting. But they still need to confess their sins. Seriously ill people are also allowed to receive communion after eating.
Miracles often happen when seemingly incurable people got back on their feet after communion. Priests often go to the hospital to support the seriously ill, take confession, and commune them. But many refuse. Some because of disgust, others do not want to invite trouble into the ward. However, those who did not succumb to all doubts and superstitions can be granted miraculous healing.
Communion of children
When a child meets God, this is a very important event both in the life of the child and his parents. Communion from an early age is also recommended because the baby gets used to the Church. It is imperative that the child be given communion. With faith. Regularly. This plays an important role in his spiritual development, and the Holy Gifts have a beneficial effect on well-being and health. And sometimes even serious diseases recede. So how should children be given communion? Children under seven years of age before the Eucharist are not prepared in a special way and are not confessed, because they cannot realize their adherence to Communion.
They also partake only of Blood (wine), as infants cannot eat solid food. If a child is able to eat solid food, then he can also partake of the Body (bread). Baptized children receive the Holy Gifts on the same day or the next day.
After receiving the Holy Gifts
The day when the Sacrament of Communion is performed is, of course, a significant time for every believer. And you need to spend it especially, as a great holiday of the soul and spirit. During the Sacrament, the one who takes communion receives the Grace of God, which should be kept with trepidation and try not to sin. If possible, it is better to refrain from worldly affairs and spend the day in silence, peace and prayer. Pay attention to the spiritual side of your life, pray, read the Word of God. These prayers after communion are of great importance - they are joyful and energetic. They are also able to multiply gratitude to the Lord, engender in the one who prays the desire to receive communion more often. It is not customary to kneel after communion in the church. The exceptions are bowing before the Shroud and kneeling prayers on the day of the Holy Trinity. There is an unfounded argument that, allegedly, after Communion, it is forbidden to venerate icons and kiss. However, the clergy themselves, after receiving the Holy Mysteries, are blessed by the bishop, kissing the hand.
How often can you take communion?
Every believer is interested in the question of how often one can take communion in church. And there is no single answer to this question. Someone believes that communion should not be abused, while others, on the contrary, recommend starting to receive the Holy Gifts as often as possible, but not more than once a day. What do the holy fathers of the church say about this? John of Kronstadt called to remember the practice of the first Christians, who had a custom to excommunicate those who did not receive communion for more than three weeks. Seraphim of Sarov bequeathed to the sisters from Diveevo to take communion as often as possible. And for those who consider themselves unworthy of Communion, but have repentance in their hearts, in no case should they refuse to accept the Holy Mysteries of Christ. Because, by taking communion, one is cleansed and brightened, and the more often one takes communion, the greater the likelihood of salvation.
It is very auspicious to take communion on name days and birthdays, for spouses on their anniversary.
At the same time, how to explain the eternal disputes about how often one can receive communion? There is an opinion that both monks and ordinary laity should not receive communion more than once a month. Once a week is already a sin, the so-called "charm", coming from the evil one. Is it true? The priest in his book gave a detailed explanation of this. He claims that the number of people who take communion more than once a month is negligible, these are church-going individuals, or those who have over themselves. Many clergy agree that if a person is ready for this at heart, then he can take communion at least every day, there is nothing wrong with that. The whole sin lies in the fact that a person without proper repentance approaches the cup without properly preparing for this, without forgiving all his offenders.
Of course, everyone decides for himself with his confessor how often he should take the Holy Chalice. It depends primarily on the readiness of the soul, love for the Lord and the power of repentance. In any case, for a churched, righteous life, it is worth taking communion at least once a month. The priests bless some of the Christians for communion more often.
Instead of an afterword
There are many books, manuals and just tips on how to take communion, the rules for preparing the soul and body. This information may differ in some ways, it may determine different approaches to the frequency of communion and the severity in preparation, but such information exists. And it is numerous. However, you will not find literature that will teach a person how to behave after receiving the Holy Mysteries, how to keep this gift and how to use it. Both everyday and spiritual experience suggests that it is much easier to accept than to keep. And it's really true. Andrei Tkachev, archpriest of the Orthodox Church, says that the inept use of the Holy Gifts can turn into a curse for the person who received them. He uses the history of Israel as an example. On the one hand, there is a huge number of miracles happening, the wonderful relationship of God with the people, His patronage. The other side of the coin is heavy punishments and even executions of people who behave unworthily after communion. Yes, and the apostles spoke about the diseases of the communicants, behaving inappropriately. Therefore, the observance of the rules after Holy Communion is extremely important for a person.
People go to the temple of God to participate in the Holy Eucharist - the main event for which the church and temples were created. The Holy Eucharist is the Communion. What is Communion in the church, why it is needed and by whom it was established - we will analyze in this article.
The Eucharist (and for Protestants the Lord's Vespers or Supper) is the sacrament of the church, the central part of Divine services and the main event in the life of a Christian. In the sacrament, Christ unites with man: having consumed him worthily, it becomes possible to assimilate the Son of God, as far as it is accessible to everyone. Christ gave Himself to us in every way.
Communion in the church: what is it and why?
Communion is bread and wine, which, after a special prayer, "transubstantiation", symbolizes the Body and Flesh of the Lord. The Lord left His Body and Blood to us at the Great Supper before His suffering on the Cross, as it is written in the Gospel.
And while they were eating, Jesus took bread, and having blessed it, broke it, and giving it to the disciples, said, Take, eat: this is my body. And taking the cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them, and said: Drink all of you from it, for this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins (Matt. 26:26-28)
“…do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19)
Communion is hidden from us in its true form, and the image of bread and wine is preserved, since it is not natural for a person to consume flesh, even Divine, for food. But after transubstantiation, that is, after the celebration of the sacrament, the property is changed - this is already the true Body and true blood of Christ.
The sacrament was created and introduced by the Lord Himself on the eve of the betrayal of Judas, immediately before the arrest, scourging and execution. The communion that is consumed in the church is union with God the Father in Christ, reconciliation with Him for the sake of His Son. This is the New Testament between man and God, which the Savior brought to earth. Christ gave himself as a sacrifice so that we could eat His Body and drink His Blood, and through this we would have eternal life in us, once lost in Paradise, as He told us in the Gospel.
Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you will not have life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me and I in him (John 6:53-56)
Communion in the Catholic Church is different from the Orthodox. So, the first uses unleavened bread for the sacrament, and the second uses yeast.
How to prepare for Communion in church?
Preparation for Communion in the church consists, first of all, in observing oneself. One cannot start the Holy Gifts if there is resentment against someone in the heart, if something has not been forgiven, if forgiveness has not been asked from those who have been offended. Be sure to go through another sacrament on the eve of Communion - Repentance. Repentance consists in sincere repentance for sins and a firm decision not to repeat them again.
Your contrition for sins must be brought to confession to the priest. It is not enough to repent "in the soul" - the apostles bequeathed us to perform the sacrament of confession in the presence of their successor, which is the priest. We cannot break this hierarchy. Confession is told in private to a priest - for Catholics this happens completely incognito, while for Orthodox the confessing priest sees the face of a person, but the confession is hidden from prying ears. The service at which the sacrament of confession takes place is served in the evening, on the eve of the Liturgy, it usually begins at 17.00.
Another important thing is the physical and prayerful preparation for the reception of the sacrament. In order to worthily accept Christ into oneself, the church recommends reading special prayers before Communion and abstaining from meat and dairy dishes for several days. In Orthodoxy, prayers for Communion include a rule from the prayer book:
- the rule for the coming dream on the eve of communion;
- three canons: to the Lord, the Virgin Mary, the Guardian Angel;
- following to the Holy Communion;
- morning rule before the service.
The prayers listed are advisory in nature, it is not easy for a beginner to read everything thoughtfully. Therefore, the rule can be reduced - down to the most necessary ten prayers, which are contained in the follow-up to Holy Communion. But the reduction of the rule - as well as other indulgences for Communion - is recommended to be discussed with the priest after confession, since the required number of prayers must be selected individually.
How is communion in church?
Liturgy is served in the Orthodox church in the morning. You can find out what time the service starts in a particular temple behind a candle box, since everyone has a different schedule. Liturgy (“common cause”) is the most important Divine service, an act of amazing beauty, filled with deep content and meaning. It consists of the most ancient hymns and aims to proceed to Communion with the necessary prayers and the correct consecration of the Gifts. The communicants pray heartily during this service, and at the end reverently take communion.
In the Catholic Church, Communion takes place at the Mass, without the rank of consecration, also after special prayers, which are established by the Catholic catechism. Catholic worship is filled with beauty, which is conveyed by a skillful choir and the famous organ - an instrument that accompanies the sacred action.
After Communion, a prayer of thanksgiving is read, and then, having kissed the cross, everyone can go home so that in purity of heart, silence and concentration, carefully preserve the grace received from the Lord.
What is Communion in the church can only be understood empirically. The inexpressible connection between man and God, so natural for intact Adam, has become available to people again. The human soul yearns for Divine communion, but sometimes it seeks it in the wrong place. How often do we choose vice and dubious pleasures? The soul seeks paradise, but often errs in its search. The state of communion with the Lord, subject to worthy acceptance of the sacrament, can give the desired fullness. But it is important to remember that Judas also took communion (one of the first), and his Communion was to condemn him. Therefore, we will take an extremely responsible approach to such an important sacrament in order to find the desired connection.
Sacrament of Communion. What it is? What is necessary?
- What is Communion?
- Establishment of the Sacrament of Communion.
- Meaning of the Sacrament of Communion.
- Preparation for the Sacrament of Communion.
- What is Communion?
“Communion is the Sacrament in which the believer, under the guise of bread and wine, partakes (takes communion) of the very Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and for Eternal Life” [Orthodox Catechism]. Communion is also called "Eucharist", which in Greek means "thanksgiving". Communion is the "Sacrament of Sacraments", the heart of the Church, the root of the Church, without which the ecumenical assembly of the faithful is inconceivable. By participating in the Sacrament of Baptism, a person becomes a citizen of the Heavenly Kingdom, is born for a new life in Christ Jesus and friendship with God. Further, by accepting Chrismation, the newly baptized person receives the grace that strengthens him in this very new life. But, just as a physical organism cannot grow and develop and live without food and water at all, so a spiritual organism cannot do without the Holy Gifts served in Communion.
For this Sacrament, leavened bread and red wine are used, which, in the process of the Divine Liturgy, according to the faith of the clergy and laity praying in the temple, are transubstantiated (become) the Body and Blood of the Savior the Lord Jesus. Christians draw their faith in this from Holy Scripture, where for the first time it is said about the establishment of this Sacrament.
2. Establishment of the Sacrament of Communion (Eucharist).
For the first time, the Sacrament of the Eucharist is mentioned in the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament in the Gospel of John. In the sixth chapter, the Lord speaks to the Jews and His disciples about the "bread of life" in the context of the miracle of feeding five thousand people with five loaves. Words of Christ “I am the living bread that came down from heaven: whoever eats this bread will live forever; but the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” (John 6:51), the Jews took it literally and wondered how the Lord Jesus could give them food? Christ goes on to say that whoever does not eat His flesh and blood will not inherit eternal life. The apostles, listening to these words, were perplexed, like the Jews, for, like the Jews, they also understood this expression literally. But the Lord had in mind eternal life not in the physical, but in the spiritual sense. Accordingly, the use of both His Flesh and Blood will not be fulfilled, like the use of cannibals. The second aspect of this saying is an indication of a future sacrifice for the sins of the world.
This becomes clear at the Last Supper, on the eve of the sufferings of Christ, when G. the Lord and the apostles gathered to participate in the world's first Eucharist. This event is mentioned by three synoptic evangelists - Matthew, Mark and Luke, as well as in a letter from the Apostle Paul to the Corinthian Christians. “And while they were eating, Jesus took bread, and having blessed it, broke it, and giving it to the disciples, he said, Take, eat: this is my body. And he took the cup, and having given thanks, gave it to them, and said, Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:26-28). The Apostle and Evangelist Luke, to everything cited in St. Matthew, there is a phrase: “Do this in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:19). The Last Supper itself outwardly resembles Jewish Easter meetings, at which all members of each Jewish family were required to attend. But this is what distinguished the supper of Christ and the apostles from the Jews.what an Easter, that the Lord and the disciples had no blood relationship. Therefore, at the time of Jesus’ words “take, eat…”, that family was born, which would later grow into the Church, and besides the lamb, there was He Himself, sacrificing Himself “as a spotless and pure Lamb, predestined even before the foundation of the world” for the salvation of people ( 1 Peter 1:19-20).
Subsequently, after the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ and the beginning of the activity of the Church, the Eucharist became an integral part of the spiritual life of the first Christians. In book D evangelism and in the epistles of St. Apostle Paul repeatedly mentions the “breaking of bread” (as the first Christians called Communion) among believers. With the development of church life, the development of Communion also occurs. Previously, it was performed at the so-called agapas - love parties - the prototype of modern worship, where Christians listened to the teachings of the elders of the communities, prayed, sang psalms, recounted the sayings of the Lord and the apostles, and had a joint meal. Communion served as the crown of this action. Beginning in the 2nd century, Communion gradually separated from the agape and was celebrated at the Divine Liturgyand (Greek: “Common cause”). The Divine Liturgy itself in the first millennium AD. had many rites (as a rule, each locality had its own rite, named either after the locality (the Braga rite) or after the name of the saint, whose contribution to the creation of the text of the Liturgy was significant or wholly belonged to his authorship (the Ambrosian rite)). At present, the Russian Orthodox Church uses three rites of the Divine Liturgy, of which the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is most widespread. Less often (ten times a year)the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great is served, which is a direct forerunner of the aforementioned rite of Chrysostom. And during Great Lent on Wednesdays and Fridays, the Liturgy of St. Gregory the Dialogist of Rome, otherwise called the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, is served, so named because of the absence of the Eucharistic canon and, as a result, the use of the Body and Blood of Christ on it, consecrated earlier at one of the "Eucharistic » liturgies (as a rule, this is the rite of St. Basil the Great). But the most important elements that unite all the ranks have always been prayers for the whole world, teaching in the Holy Scriptures, holy kissing between members of the community, and, most importantly, the breaking of bread (in fact, for which Christians gathered).
3. Meaning of the Sacrament of Communion.
Eating the Flesh and Blood of Christ, the believer becomes one organism with the Lord, thereby healing his nature, his soul from sin and death; burning passions, we inherit eternal life. In the Holy Eucharist, believers are given the sacred "medicine of immortality", as the Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-bearer said, "an antidote so as not to die." God made man a material being. That is why He uses such material things as bread and wine to instill new life in us. Participation in the Eucharist infrequently is not entirely healthy. This is rather a consequence of the weakening of the spiritual life than a rule. Many try to explain this practice by saying that they are not always worthy of Communion. But I do not think that the frequency of participation in the Sacraments makes someone more or less worthy. Unfortunately, this trend, introduced back in pre-revolutionary times, continues to this day. Of course, careful preparation for the Eucharistic meeting with Christ is necessary. In particular, St. Gennady of Constantinople speaks of this: “He who invites the emperor to his house, first cleans his house; so you, if you want to receive God into your bodily home, you must first sanctify your body with fasting.” St. rights. John of Kronstadt took communion daily, calling his flock to this as well. “Communion more often and do not say that you are unworthy. If you talk like that, you will never take communion, because you will never be worthy. Do you think that there is at least one person on earth who is worthy of communion of the Holy Mysteries? No one is worthy of this, and if we do receive communion, it is only through the special mercy of God. We are not created for communion, but communion is for us. It is we, the sinners, the unworthy, the weak, who need this saving source more than anyone else” (St. Right Alexy Mechev).
4. Ppreparation for the Sacrament of Communion.
It is necessary to prepare oneself for the Sacrament of Holy Communion by prayer, fasting and repentance. In addition, it is very important to remember that the preparation for Communion should be not only the fulfillment of certain prescriptions, but our whole life, built on evangelical principles. It is necessary not only to comply with disciplinary regulations, but to yearn for Christ, with all the strength of the soul to desire union with Him.
There is prayer at home and church. Those who wish to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ must prayerfully prepare themselves for this: pray more and more fervently at home, attend church services. On the eve of the sacrament, it is customary to attend the evening church service. For prayerful preparation for Holy Communion on the eve of communion, you need to read:
— Follow-up to Holy Communion;
- canon of repentance to our Lord Jesus Christ;
- canon of prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos;
- the canon to the guardian angel (all of the above prayer rules are found in any Orthodox prayer book).
A liturgical fast is laid before Communion. It is pious to practice fasting (fasting) for seven days before Communion. Now, some priests, due to bodily weakness, bless to approach the Sacrament of the Eucharist even after at least a three-day fast. Fasting, in addition to food restrictions, also consists in eating and drinking less than usual, as well as refraining from visiting the theater, watching entertaining films and programs, and listening to secular music. It is necessary to maintain physical and spiritual purity. Spouses must abstain from bodily intercourse on the day before and after communion. On the eve of communion, a strict fast begins at 12 a.m. - complete abstinence from drinking and eating (in the morning, going to church for communion, you are not allowed to eat or drink anything; those suffering from tobacco addiction should also refrain from their passion).
One who is preparing for Holy Communion must be reconciled with everyone and protect himself from feelings of malice and irritation, refrain from condemnation and all kinds of obscene thoughts, conversations, spending time, as much as possible, in solitude, reading the Word of God (Gospel) and books of spiritual content.
The person wishing to take communion must, on the eve, before or after the evening service, verbally confess his sins to God in the presence of a witness - a priest, sincerely opening his soul and not concealing a single sin he has committed, and have a sincere intention to correct himself. Before confession, one must certainly reconcile both with the offenders and with the offended, humbly asking everyone for forgiveness. The task of preparing for confession is to find the specific qualities of one's soul, character traits, actions, events or states that violate the Commandments of God and prevent communion with God. During confession, it is better not to wait for the priest's questions, but to tell him everything that weighs on the soul, without justifying yourself in anything and without shifting the blame to others. It is more correct to confess on the eve of communion in the evening in order to participate in the liturgy in the morning. In extreme cases, you can confess in the morning, before the start of the liturgy. Coming to confession when the liturgy has already begun is an extreme neglect of the Sacrament. Having confessed, you must make a firm decision not to repeat your former sins again. Without confession, no one can be admitted to Holy Communion, except for children under 7 years of age and in cases of mortal danger.
Even before the opening of the royal doors and the removal of the Holy Gifts, best of all, soon after the singing of “Our Father”, you need to approach the altar and wait for the removal of the Holy Gifts at the exclamation “Come with the fear of God and faith.” At the same time, it is necessary to skip ahead the children who receive communion first, before adults. By When approaching the Chalice, you need to make a bow from afar and fold your arms crosswise on your chest (the right one over the left one). There is no need to be baptized in front of the Holy Chalice, so as not to accidentally push it. Approaching the Chalice, you need to clearly pronounce your full Christian name, open your mouth (mouth) wide and reverently, with full consciousness of the holiness of the great Sacrament, accept the Body and Blood of Christ and immediately swallow it.
Having accepted the Holy Mysteries, kissed the edge of the Chalice without making the sign of the cross, and immediately go to the table to taste a particle of antidoron and drink it with warmth. Before kissing the altar cross in the hands of a priest, it is not customary to leave the church. After that, you need to listen to thanksgiving prayers (or read them when you come home). On the day of Holy Communion - to behave reverently and decently, in order to "honestly keep in yourself Christ received."
About the Sacrament of Communion
(Luke 22:19).
15.6. Who can partake?
–
About the Sacrament of Communion
15.1. What does communion mean?
– In this Sacrament, under the guise of bread and wine, an Orthodox Christian partakes of the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and through this is mysteriously united with Him, becoming a partaker of eternal life, for in every particle of the crushed lamb the Whole Christ is contained. The comprehension of this Mystery surpasses the human mind.
This Sacrament is called the Eucharist, which means "thanksgiving".
15.2. Who established the Sacrament of Communion?
– The Sacrament of Communion was established by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
15.3. How and why did Jesus Christ establish the Sacrament of Communion?
– This Holy Sacrament was instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ at the Last Supper with the Apostles on the eve of His sufferings. He took bread into His pure hands, blessed it, broke it and divided it among His disciples, saying: “Take, eat: this is my body» (Matthew 26:26). Then he took a cup of wine, blessed it and, giving it to the disciples, said: “Drink from it all, for this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”(Matthew 26:27,28). At the same time, the Savior gave the commandment to the apostles, and in their person and to all believers, to perform this Sacrament until the end of the world in remembrance of His suffering, death and Resurrection for the closest connection of believers with Him. He said: "Do this in remembrance of me"(Luke 22:19).
15.4. Why should you take communion?
– To enter the Kingdom of Heaven and have eternal life. It is impossible to achieve perfection in spiritual life without frequent Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.
The grace of God acting in the Sacraments of Confession and Holy Communion enlivens the soul and body, heals them, tangibly acts in such a way that a Christian person becomes sensitive to his sins and infirmities, does not easily succumb to sinful deeds and is strengthened in the truths of faith. Faith, the Church and all its institutions become native, close to the heart.
15.5. Is repentance alone sufficient for cleansing from sin, without Communion?
– Repentance cleanses the soul from the defilements, and Communion fills with God's grace and prevents the return of the evil spirit, expelled by repentance, into the soul.
15.6. Who can partake?
– All baptized Orthodox Christians can and should receive communion after the necessary preparation for this by fasting, prayers and confession.
15.7. How to prepare for Communion?
—Those who wish to receive communion worthily must have heartfelt repentance, humility, and a firm intention to correct themselves and begin a pious life. It takes several days to prepare for the Sacrament of Communion: to pray more and more fervently at home, to be at the evening service on the eve of the day of Communion.
Fasting is usually combined with prayer (from one to three days) - abstinence from fast food: meat, milk, butter, eggs (with strict fasting and from fish) and, in general, moderation in eating and drinking. You should be imbued with the awareness of your sinfulness and protect yourself from anger, condemnation and obscene thoughts and conversations, refuse to visit places of entertainment. The best time to spend is reading spiritual books. It is necessary to confess in the evening on the eve of the day of Communion or in the morning before the Liturgy. Before Confession, one must reconcile both with the offenders and with the offended, humbly asking everyone for forgiveness. On the eve of the day of Communion, refrain from marital relations, after midnight do not eat, drink or smoke.
15.8. What prayers should be used to prepare for Communion?
– There is a special rule for prayer preparation for Communion, which is found in Orthodox prayer books. It usually consists of reading four canons the night before: the canon of repentance to the Lord Jesus Christ, the canon of prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos, the canon to the Guardian Angel, the canon from the Follow-up to Holy Communion. In the morning, prayers are read from the Follow-up to Holy Communion. In the evening it is also necessary to read prayers for a dream to come, and in the morning - morning prayers.
With the blessing of the confessor, this prayer rule before Communion can be reduced, increased, or replaced by another.
15.9. How to approach Communion?
– After singing “Our Father”, one should approach the steps of the altar and wait for the removal of the Holy Chalice. Children should be skipped ahead. Approaching the Chalice, one should fold his hands crosswise on his chest (right over left) and do not cross himself in front of the Chalice, so as not to accidentally push it.
Approaching the Cup, you should clearly pronounce your Christian name given at Baptism, open your mouth wide, reverently accept the Holy Gifts and immediately swallow. Then kiss the bottom of the Cup like the rib of Christ. You can not touch the Chalice and kiss the priest's hand. Then you should go to the table with warmth, drink Communion so that the shrine does not remain in your mouth.
15.10. How often should you take communion?
– This must be coordinated with the spiritual father, since priests bless in different ways. For people seeking to church their lives, some modern pastors recommend taking communion from one to two times a month. Other priests also bless more frequent Communion.
Usually they confess and receive communion during all four multi-day fasts of the church year, on the Twelfth, Great and Temple holidays, on their name days and birthdays, spouses on their wedding day.
The opportunity should not be missed as often as possible to enjoy the grace bestowed by the communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.
15.11. Who is not eligible to receive communion?
– Not baptized in the Orthodox Church or baptized in other religious denominations, not converted to Orthodoxy,
- one who does not wear a pectoral cross,
- who received the priest's prohibition to take communion,
- women in the period of monthly cleansing.
It is impossible to receive communion for the sake of "tick", for the sake of certain quantitative norms. The Sacrament of Communion should become for an Orthodox Christian a need of the soul.
15.12. Can a pregnant woman take communion?
– It is necessary, and as often as possible, to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, preparing for Communion by repentance, confession, and prayer within your power. The Church exempts pregnant women from fasting.
The churching of a child should begin from the moment the parents learned that they would have a child. Even in the womb, the child perceives everything that happens to the mother and around her. The echoes of the outside world reach him and in them he is able to capture anxiety or peace. The child feels the mood of his mother. At this time, it is very important to participate in the Sacraments and the prayer of the parents, so that the Lord through them would work His grace on the child.
15.13. Can an Orthodox Christian take communion in any other non-Orthodox church?
– No, only in the Orthodox Church.
15.14. Is it possible to take communion on any day?
– Every day in the Church, Communion of the faithful takes place, with the exception of Great Lent, during which you can take Communion only on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
15.15. When can I take communion during the week of Great Lent?
– During Great Lent, adults can take communion on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays; small children - on Saturdays and Sundays.
15.16. Why are babies not given communion at the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts?
– The fact is that at the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, the Chalice contains only blessed wine, and the particles of the Lamb (the Bread that was changed into the Body of Christ) are soaked in advance with the Blood of Christ. Since babies, due to their physiology, cannot be communed with a particle of the Body, and there is no Blood in the Chalice, they are not communed at the Presanctified Liturgy.
15.17. Is it possible to take communion several times on the same day?
- No one should take Holy Communion twice on the same day. If the Holy Gifts are taught from several Chalices, they can only be received from one.
15.18. Is it possible to take communion after the Unction without Confession?
– Unction does not cancel Confession. At the Unction, not all sins are forgiven, but only forgotten and unconscious ones.
15.19. How to take Communion to a sick person at home?
- Relatives of the sick person must first agree with the priest on the time of Communion and on measures to prepare the sick person for this Sacrament.
15.20. How to give communion to a one-year-old child?
- If a child is not able to calmly stay in the church for the entire service, then he can be brought to the end of the Liturgy - to the beginning of the singing of the prayer "Our Father" and then take communion.
15.21. Can a child under 7 eat before Communion? Is it possible to take communion when the sick are not on an empty stomach?
—Only in exceptional cases is it permitted to take communion on an empty stomach. This issue is resolved individually in consultation with the priest. Infants under the age of 7 are allowed to take communion not on an empty stomach. Children should be taught to abstain from food and drink before Communion from an early age.
15.22. Is it possible to take communion if you have not been to the all-night vigil? Is it possible to take communion if you fasted, but did not read or did not finish reading the rule?
– Such issues are resolved only with the priest individually. If the reasons for not attending the All-Night Vigil or not fulfilling the prayer rule are valid, then the priest may allow communion. What is important is not the number of prayers read, but the disposition of the heart, living faith, repentance for sins, the intention to correct one's life.
15.23. Are we sinners worthy of frequent communion?
– "The healthy do not need a doctor, but the sick"(Luke 5:31). There is not a single person on earth who is worthy of Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, and if people do receive Communion, it is only through the special mercy of God. It is the sinners, the unworthy, the weak, who need this saving source more than anyone else - like those who are sick in treatment. And those who consider themselves unworthy and distance themselves from Communion are like heretics and pagans.
With sincere repentance, God forgives a person's sins, and Communion gradually corrects his shortcomings.
The basis for deciding how often to take communion is the degree of readiness of the soul, its love for the Lord, the strength of its repentance. Therefore, the Church leaves this issue to the priests and confessors to decide.
15.24. If after Communion one feels coldness, does this mean that one received communion unworthily?
– Coldness happens to those who seek consolation from Communion, and whoever considers himself unworthy, grace remains with him. However, when after Communion there is no peace and joy in the soul, one must see this as an occasion for deep humility and contrition for sins. But one should not despair and grieve: there should not be a selfish attitude towards the Sacrament.
In addition, the Sacraments are not always reflected in the senses, but act secretly.
15.25. How to behave on the day of Communion?
- The Day of Communion is a special day for the Christian soul, when it is mysteriously united with Christ. These days should be spent as great holidays, dedicating them as much as possible to solitude, prayer, concentration and spiritual reading.
After Communion, you must ask the Lord to help you keep the gift worthy and not go back, that is, to your previous sins.
It is necessary to especially protect oneself in the first hours after Communion: at this time, the enemy of the human race is trying in every possible way so that a person offends the shrine, and she would stop consecrating him. A shrine can be offended by sight, a careless word, hearing, condemnation. On the day of Communion, one should eat moderately, not have fun, and behave decently.
You should keep yourself from idle talk, and in order to avoid them, you need to read the Gospel, the Jesus Prayer, akathists, and the lives of saints.
15.26. Is it possible to kiss the cross after Communion?
—After the Liturgy, all the worshipers venerate the cross: both those who received communion and those who did not.
15.27. Is it possible to kiss icons and the priest's hand after Communion, to make prostrations?
– After Communion, before drinking, you should refrain from kissing icons and the priest’s hand, but there is no such rule that those who take communion should not kiss icons or the priest’s hand that day and not bow to the ground. It is important to keep the tongue, thoughts and heart from all evil.
15.28. Is it possible to replace Communion by partaking of Epiphany water with artos (or antidoron)?
– This erroneous opinion about the possibility of replacing Communion with baptismal water with artos (or antidoron) arose, perhaps due to the fact that people who have canonical or other obstacles to Communion of the Holy Mysteries are allowed to use baptismal water with antidoron for consolation. However, this cannot be understood as an equivalent replacement. Communion cannot be replaced by anything.
15.29. Can children under 14 receive communion without Confession?
– Without Confession, only children under 7 years old can receive communion. From the age of 7, children receive communion only after Confession.
15.30. Is Communion paid?
– No, in all churches the Sacrament of Communion is always performed free of charge.
15.31. Everyone is communed with one spoon, is it possible to get sick?
“Squeamishness can only be fought with faith. There has never been a single case of someone getting infected through the Chalice: even when people take communion in hospital churches, no one ever gets sick. After the Communion of the faithful, the remaining Holy Gifts are used by the priest or deacon, but even during epidemics they do not fall ill. This is the greatest Sacrament of the Church, given, among other things, for the healing of the soul and body, and the Lord does not shame the faith of Christians.
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